In the 19th century, European navigators exploring the Andaman Islands were surprised to find no large mammals, particularly elephants, despite their presence on other Indian Ocean islands. This absence was puzzling, given that primitive tribes likely reached the islands by land during the last Ice Age. Ironically, starting in 1858, the British colonial administration imported elephants from Burma and India for the timber industry, some of which later escaped and returned to the wild on deserted islands. This documentary organised by Bangalore International Centre, examines how these elephants came to inhabit the Andamans and questions the belief that they swam across the sea. The screening will be followed by a discussion with directors Philippe Gautier and Prajna Chowta, along with a Q&A session.
Image: BIC
https://bangaloreinternationalcentre.org/event/the-andaman-elephant-enigma/
